Mean field theory, topological field theory, and multi-matrix models

We show that the genus zero correlation functions of an arbitrary topological field theory coupled to two-dimensional topological gravity are determined by an appropriate Landau-Ginzburg potential. We determine the potentials that arise for topological sigma models with CP1 or a Calabi-Yau manifold for target space. We present substantial evidence that the multi-matrix models that have been studied recently are equivalent to certain topological field theories coupled to topological gravity. We also describe a topological version of the general “string equation”.